Loving-Kindness

Hello again.  I know I haven't blogged in awhile.  I've been caught up in another writing project, which is a good thing for me.  I've also been reading a lot of self-helpy type stuff, and don't want to get too preachy with you all.  I did, however, happen upon this gem recently: Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness.

My therapist (whom I LOVE) has been telling me for months about the loving-kindness meditation.  In a nutshell, by following this meditation, you focus on yourself and ask for essential things like health, peace, joy and love.  Then you focus on someone you love and ask for the same things for him or her, then go on and ask for these things for someone about whom you have neutral feelings.  Next, you focus on requesting these things for someone who presents you with some sort of difficulty, then ask for these things for all living beings.  As a result, you end up feeling calm, centered, loving and soothed.

I went to a spiritual retreat on mother's day, and the message most strongly conveyed there was essentially the same as the loving-kindness meditation.  One should always put love and light into any interaction or project and you'll basically end up reaping what you sow.  The day after the retreat, I was walking Walter, and happened upon a stack of books on someone's stoop.  I know that I've written about this before, but I'll say it again:  I adore all of you people who park your books on your stoops and share them with the world.  Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness has been my best stoop find so far.  I love that I found it on the heels of my woo-woo spiritual retreat, as if the universe had conspired to have it land in my lap.

I've been doing the meditation daily for the past week and it's been absolutely life-altering.  I highly recommend giving it a try.  Spread the love and watch it come back to you.